Standpipe system



June 7, 1932. w. F` coNRAN STANDPIPE SYSTEM Filed May 8, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 i /NVEIQTOR /t- ATTORNEY' f' June 7, 1932. w. F. coNRAN STANDPIPE SYSTEM Filed May 8, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z INVENTOR June 7, 1932. w. F. coNRAN STANDPIPE SYSTEM Filed May 8, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY June 7, 1932. w. F. coNRAN 1,862,109

STANDPIPE SYSTEM Filedlvxay s, 192e 4 sheets-sheet 4 /g/A. l INVENTo/e f" BY Z ' A TORNEY Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES WILLIAM koennen; 0F BRooxLYmNgEW Yami v STANDPIPE SYSTEM' Appli-caon Bled May 8,

This invention relates to fire extinguishing apparatusfor building/s orl other structures-1 orv places in which la; standpipe having a plurality of nozzles-et different levels isernployed. Amneretnsy of this. general `charac:-

` ter is disclosed in myA Patents Nos. 816,152, dated Marelli 2Z,'1906, 1,156,978, dated l@et 1:9-, 1915, and. 1,253,005, dated Jen. 8, 1918.

A requisite of'apperatus of .this character is to secure the maximum coverage by the discharge from the nozzles, both by lateral and vertical movement thereof, and heretofore this coverage has been secured by mounting the nozzles rigidly with respect to. the

7 Q; SLandlpipe and 'turning vand lifting 4the latter as a'. Whole in order to secure the desired :dis-

tribution of the .extinguishing Huid. Rotti-V tion of the standpipe is reletive'lyyeasy to aecomplish, but vertical movement, due tothe Weight of the strueture, involves the use of power Vmechanism for thispurpose.

According to the present invention, 'e

standpi-p'e is employed Ito. 'which other :noz-

zles are movably secured in 'as manner permitting vertical movement thereof Without necessitating vertical movement of the standpipe. This not 'only eliminates. jtfhe standpipe lifting me'el-lranifsmibnt also permits independent vertical movement ofthe nozz'les. The invention further providespower opera-ted inea-ns tor moving each nozzle, wh-ieh Ineens may Lloe controlled 'from a central operating station fait 01":1idjae'entto-whiieh is lloeated the means for rotating `the. stand- -m (pipe. Thus the desired distribution iiromvth-e ystandpipe nozzles 4is seemed 'by :rotation Aof the standpipe and by individual movement of the nozzles, giving .a :degree of flexibility in the operation of the .apparatus 'not hereeu tween the pipe sections' and the ttings Screwed..jointsfaire; for various rfifesons;sto;l be preferred to flan-ged and, bolted jniirnts; in struoturesz-oii .thisohar'ageten bzltfthe. ordinarily form. ef screwed joint likely to beeorne unsere-Wed by the torsional. stressesv set; by Sie.: repeated tuen-ingof the` standpipe. eecor-dance with the present inventienthe tand pipe seetions are bonded together efter assembly' in e manner which mfilms the stendpipe as e, Whole e. snbstentiell-y unitary en strnetnre and eliminates-the above, objeetien to; the serewedjeint. .i

The more speeiio features; andfebjets, ef the invention will appear morefatully from the fellow-ing description, o the seveel Aeine@ bedimentslofv theinvention illustrated in the accompanying; drawings, in. which 1:

Fig. l is an elevation of'estendpipe-Censtruc-ted in neeofrdenee with the. invention, eertainseetions being omitted; Fig. f2 is .an @u elevation, partly in ,see-tionend-on `en fenlarged scale, of one of the nozzle fittings snow-n l; Figs. 3 and 4. are; views teken, respectively, on the "lines and --fflf-of Fig., 2.1.; Fig. V5 `e vie/W similar to Qq-f, Fig; :2 ofA another tor-m of; nozzle diluting; Figi is a section tekenen the line 6i-tief Fig; 55;; Fig. 7 rise view similar to Fig. 2 10i e third term efnozzle ittingg Fig-,J `Sfis; a {plarn view of 7 Figs-Slis :a1/section taken .gli on the lineQ--Q @atv Eig. 7 end Eg. .1l0 :is a section teken on the .li-ne .l0-+10, .of

Referring :new :to Eig. L,v the standpipe, indiceted-genenally :et A., comprises e nu-m- -bero Ppipev-.seetions l, joined thefnozzfles-sn B., C end D; :andthe Operating' ste- -tion titting The bott-om fpipeseetion 1V is -closed by' aeap.. 2 .earrying: the supporting pin 3 which is rotatably mounted a suitably meoessed bearing pedestal 4.- .In `the form-.eo

illustrated, the standpipe extends upwandly thnoughtheifloors-. rote building and refseives .lateral fsnppert the .beamingr sleeves .6, but it is to be understood thattthe invention :be-equally well applied die fstandpipes e5 loeete'd ieztterorly of e ,building end supported Ain @different manner., A. iT-tting f?,V provided with theiesuel standard ASiainiese @connection 8 omis .the A'inlet te Athestendpipe :ande '-lever'9,xpre:terebly adjacent to 'we A tween the standpipe and the nozzle.

the operating station, provides means for manually turning the standpipe. In this operation the standpipe is oscillated about its axis through suitable angular distances 'to secure the desired lateral or radial coverage at the several floors or levels.

In Fig.` 2 is shownl the form of nozzle fitting and actuating mechanism indicated at B in Fig. 1. This comprises the cast fitting 10, joining the pipe sections 1 in ay manner to be describedv in detail later, and provided with a branch 11 bifurcated at its outer end (in the manner shown moreclearly in F ig. 8) to provide a pivoted connection 12 for the nozzle 13, which may be attached throughthe medium of any suitable form of fluid-tight rotatable'joint. VThe branch 11 has an angularly disposed valve seat 14 formed therein adapted to be engaged lby a disc valve 15 to close communication be- Valve 15 is -mounted on a stem 16v passing through a stuffing-box 17 in the bottom of a cylinder r-18 which forms a cover plate forthe eXten- `sion 19 forming part ofbranch 11. A piston 20 attached to the upper end of stem 16 and mounted in cylinder 18 controls the position of valve 15..-

A spring 21 actingon the piston normally holds valve 15 closed, and the latter is opened by the admission 4of pressure fluid below the piston through the Vcontrol pipe 22. Pipe 22 passes through the wall of the fitting 10 and is carried Within the standpipeto the operating station in the. manner disclosed in Patent 1,253,005 granted to me January 8,

A casing 23, mounted on arm 24, supports a rrotatable shaft 25-Which extends at one" end through thev wall ofthe casingy and carries within the latter an impe'ller 26. The eX-y tended end of shaft 25 has Vsecured thereto the blockg27 provided with an undercut slot receiving the-head of a clamping bolt 28 which lpasses through the eye of a' threaded rod 29.'Y A bushing `30, of greater thickness than .the eye of the rod 29, permits the bolt 28 to be clamped bymeans of a nut -31 at any desired y'point' in theslotted-fblock Without binding the rod 29, whichA is freely rotatable Y on the-bushing.` The threaded end of rod'29 -is lconnected by means of the turnbuckle 32 to a forked rod 33 the arms vof which are Vp-ivotally c'onnectedtothe nozzle 13. f A pipe 34 connects the branch 11`from a point beyond valve 15:to the'inlet side ofthe impeller 26, which discharges to the flexible vpipe 35;v Pipe Y35/is preferably attached to the nozzle 13.: Y v f V Theoperation-of the nozzle is largely obvious.4 VAdmission of pressure fluid through pipe-,22, controlled from theroperating sta- `tion,*opens valve- 15 andpermits fiow from lthe standpipe to the nozzle andfalso through pipe 34/to impelle'r 26. Rotation of the `immayV beV4 varied so that the discharge therefrom may be directed over areas atdiffe'rent distances from the standpipe.

f Fig. 5 illustrates another forinof oscillating nozzle drivenby fiuid' under pressure from the standpipe, which differs from the form heretofore described inthe type of actuating mechanismemployed. i In this form (indicated at C in ITIig.r 1),.the fitting 10a comprises a branch 11ato which the nozzlek 13El is pivotally mountedfas heretofore described. An arm 24a-terminates in a cylinder 3.6 in which is located the piston V37. The

vpiston rod 38 passes through a suitable stuffing-box lin the end of cylinder 36 and is secured at its outer end in a cross-headblock n 39 held between the guides 40. vvrIhe crosshead is connected by means of the forked connecting rod 41 to the nozzle 13a. Operatingfluid taken .from the branch :11eL at apoint beyond the control valve 15a through pipe 34a enters the valve chest 42 and is admitted to cylinder 36 by the D slide valve 43 through inlet passages` 44. YThe outlet port45 discharges tothe flexible pipe 35a attached to nozzle 13a. The valve 43 is actuated from the cross-head v39,A which carriesa pin 46 ,engaging the bifurcated end of one arm of the forked lever 47 pivoted` I vto an extension onthe guidev 40. A` bell-crank 48*also p'ivoted onythis extensionbut offset from the plane of Vlever 47 (as will be seen inFig. 6), has ashortbifurcated arm terminating at a pointv .between two of the arms of lever 47and a longer arm to Vwhichis attached the weight 49. v l A pin 50, set in the valve rod 51, engages the rbifurcated arm of crank 48 and is adapt- `ed to be moved by yeither of the armsr of lever 47 between which it projects..v The operation of the mechanism, when ,pressure fiuid is admitted thereto, is the same asthat of the ordinary r`reciprocating pump, except for-the action of the weighted crank 48. As the operating fluid isordinarily Water, which isr non-expansive, provision must be made for shifting the valve 43 after the point of cut-off' on a given stroke` has been reached,

`and this is accomplished by the weighted l crank. 'It will be obvious' from Fig. 5 that as the valve is shifted'froin the operation shown in the figure by one arm of lever 47, the weight 49 -will be moved past an upper 'dead fcent'er, atter 'which `vlpoint gravity avlill act to carry the Weight downward and Ithronghithe medium of ithe .crank 48 and pin f5@ lIn'ove'the val'veto thefend of lits stroke independently fof thelacti'onfof'lever47. 'lllhe return istroke Iis .accomplished by 1aclti1on lar to Athat just described. y

In fthe ifo-.rm Vof nozzle `.mechanism shown in .7 fthe elevation :or depression o'f `the A'nozzle Ais nunder the :control of 'the 'operator fandlthe -fnozzle'ma-y veither @be held stationary :or reciprocatetl by proper manipulation of the controls. rThe fit-ting' lOb'lvis generally `similar -in *torni toivthose previously described,

shown :in ZFig. 2.

' ZRodJSSb-carries a laterally extending arm 52 :adapted to engage an adjustable stop 53 'threaded through .a supporting arm 54C and locked in position by the nut 55. A spring 56 serves to force the piston 37kt@ one endof 'the=cy.linder,while :pressure fluid admitted to `#the :opposite side/of .the piston through ith-e control pipe racts to move the piston against the action of the 'spr-ing -to the other end :o'f the cylinder. Obviously, the 'adj ustabl'e .stop sserves -to limit the range-of motion ofthe nozzle by flimiting :the :stroke 'of the piston.

.Inail of the 4forms. described, control of 'the flow from 4thestandpipe to Vthe :nozzles is efifected .by manipulation of Athe three-Way valves 518at-theoperating sta-tion `Which admit fluid from the standpipeto thepipes`22, :22aL fand122b in the manner described in my previously#mentioned Patent No. 1,253,005.

Admissionlofflnid to -pipes 22 and 22a also -sets the nozzle reciprocating mechanism for the respective nozzles in motion, but admis- .sion of fluid to pipe22Vb only admits fluid to -fthe nozzle. Movement of this nozzle is conltrolled .by manipulationv 'of the three-Way ya'lvfe .5.9. which admits lfiuid from the standpipe to the control 1pipe57. y

vIn orderto prevent the pcssibilityof failul'veyof the standpipe apparatus through Eloosening of screw joints :between its parts re- `.sulting :from repeated turn-ing of the stand- ;pipe in opposite directions, I provide that thesejoints shall be rendered Vintegral Wherever they occur, whereby it Vresults that the structure -is substantially Aunitary once it'has been-assembled. Preerably the nozzle llittings 10, 10a, l()b and also the 'T'-`confnection '7 vare lprovid-ed with 'internally threaded rshouldersf'() 1;'(Fig. 21) into Which the-pipesectionslare screwed. *These-:shoulders are ishort of the counterbored .end sections i621, 'which With ithe .pi-pe sections 1 Iform annular spaces 62. Thesefspaces, atter .assemblyrof the staHdpipe, are filled with anyv suitable bonding compound. For example, a mixture 1of Yiron 'fiilingsand sal ammoniac may beem- Ap'loyed-.to produce a so-called rust joint Whichbondsithe joined elements iinto a substantially integral Whole, so much so ythat before the-standpipe `could be ltaken apartgit -Would 4be necessary to'brealr the fittings.

As a furthermeans Soi resistingthe torsional stress vat the joints, the set screws `163 acti-on of the bonding compound surrounding them between the fitting and-thel l'pipe section. v

4may fbeemployed. Thesescrevvs are eectu- `ally prevented vfrom becoming loose by 'the It is to 'be yunderstood that the Aforms oiA apparatus hereinbefore described are merely V.illustrativeand may be modified both inform vandarrangement,Without departing from the invention. F or example, the number 'of nozzles employed may be varied in accordance with the particular `requirements of the@ installation, and any one particular type or combination of types of nozzle operating mechanism may be utilized. Further, itis not intended thatthe invention -is to be limted to the specific details of construction described but is to include all such equivalents land variations-as may fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

The fluid employed is customarily a liq-y tures, but as indicated in my prior patents such standpipesfmay be disposed ontside the `structure in close proximity thereto, and indeed the apparatus may be installed in vany *ist place Where it may'beemployed to advantage.

I claim: p Y l. A rotary standpipe comprising a pivot,- ed discharge nozzle and a controlstation remote from the nozzle, a connection adapted to supply fluid under pressure to the stand- Y* pipe, means atthe control station for. rotatv.mg the standplpe to vary the lateral direction of the discharge from the nozzle, means actuated by fluid under pressure from the standpipe for moving the nozzle aboutits pivot to 4vary the vertical direction of the disi;

charge therefrom, and means at the control station for controlling the last-named means.

2. A rotary standpipe comprising a plurality of pivoted discharge nozzles, a central control station, a connection adapted tosup f* ply fluid under pressure to the standpipe,

means at said station for rotating the standpipe to vary the lateral direction of the discharge `from the nozzles, fluid actuated means for separately moving' each of said `noz/Jles about its pivot to vary the vertical `direction of the discharge therefrom, and means located at the control station for vseparately controlling each of saidsecond named means. .5 A rotary standpipe comprising a plurality of pivoted discharge nozzles, aconnection adapted to supply fluid under pressure to the standpipe, means for rotating the Y standpipe to vary the lateral direction of the discharge from the nozzles, fluid pressure actuated means associated withv each nozzle formoving it about4 its pivot to vary the vertical direction of the discharge therefrom, conduits connecting each of said last-named means with the interior of the standpipe, and means located adjacent to said first-named Y meansfor controlling flow from the standpi pe through each of said conduits.

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a standpipe to which fluid under pressure is supplied and which has an operating station, of a plurality ofpivoted nozzles for discharging fluid from the standpipe, separate means associated with each of said nozzles for changing its angular position, and means located at the operating station for separately controlling each of said first-named means. Y

v5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a standpip'e to which fluid under pressure is supplied and which r has an operating station, ofma plurality of pivoted nozzles for discharging fluid from the standpipe, separate fluid pressure actuated means for changing the angular position of each of said nozzles, conduits connecting Vthe interior of the standpipe with each of said means, and valves located at the operating station for controlling the admission of fluid under pressure to .each of said conduits.

6. In apparatus ofthe class described,the combination with a fire-protection standpipe vinstalled in a building, of a plurality of pivoted nozzles at different elevationsV on the standpipe, said nozzles being movable between adepressed and an elevated position, resilient means for moving each of the nozzles in one direction, fluidpressure actuated means for movingzeach of the nozzles in the other direction, connections for admitting fluid under pressure to said last-named means, and means for controlling said connections individually. 7. In, apparatus of the class described, the combination with a fire protection'standpipe installed in a building, of a plurality of pivoted nozzles at different elevations on the standpipe, said nozzles being movable betweena depressed and an elevated position, resilient means for moving each of the nozzles to their depressed positions, fluid pressure actuated means for moving each of the nozzles to their elevated positions, connections for admitting fluid under pressure from the means for controlling said connections individually.

8. In apparatus of the-class described, the combination with a standpipeto which'uid underpressure is supplied and vwhich has an` operating station, of an angularly movable nozzle for discharging fluid from the standpipe, means responsiveto the admission of fluid fromthe standpipefor changingthe angular position ofthe nozzle, avfluid pressure actuated valve foradmitting fluid to the nozzle, and means located at the operating station for separatelyjcontrolling said valve and admitting fluid from the standpipe to said first-named means. f

9. In apparatus of the class; described, the combination with a standpipe to which fluid under pressure is supplied, of a pivoted nozzle movable between av depressed andan elevated position, a resilient means for moving the nozzle to its depressed position, fluid pressure actuated means for moving the nozzle to its elevated position, a conduit connecting said fluid pressure actuated means-'with theV interior of the standpipe, alluid pressure actuated valve for admitting fluid to the nozzle, a conduit connecting said valve with the interior of the standpipe, and valves located at the operating station for controlling both of said conduits.

10. In apparatus of the class described, a standpipe fitting comprising a .discharge branch, a nozzle pivoted to said branch, a valve controlling said branch, a fluid pressure actuated piston for opening said valve, a cylinder mounted on an armof'said fitting, a piston in said cylinder, a positive mechanical connection between the last-named. piston and the nozzle, a spring located in saidA cylinder and acting on one side of said piston, .anda 3:1"05 fluid pressure inlet in said cylinder on the other side of said piston.- L ,Y f

11. In aV fire-protection standpipeA system, the combination with a standpipe, of a pivoted nozzle for discharging rfluid from' thef'no standpipe, a fluid-actuated device for changing the angular .position of the nozzle, Aand a connection leading from said fluid-actuated device to a remote control stationy andv there vprovided with a control enabling said device 'I 115 to be operated or not when fluid is beingdischarged through the nozzle. Y.

,12. In a nre-protectionv standpipesystem, thecombination with a stand'pipe, of'a branch carrying an angularly movable nozzle, a fluidactuated valve for opening and closing said branch, a fluid-actuated'.r device for changing the angular position'ofthe nozzle, separate fluid connections extending from said valve and said device to a remote control station," and means at said station'y for separately controlling said connections.v v 13; In a fire-protection system, the combination with a standpipe, of a pivoted nozzle for discharging fluid from the standpipe, a y

valve adjacent said nozzle controlling discharge therefrom, means at a remote control station for controlling said valve, a fluid-actuated device for moving the nozzle on its pivot, and a fluid connection extending from said device to said control station and there provided with means for independently controlling said device.

14. A lire-protection standpipe system installed in a building and having a plurality of branches at different floors, angularly movable nozzles carried by said branches, fluidactuated devices associated with the several nozzles for elevating and depressing the nozzles, fluid connections extending to a remote control station and there provided with means for separately controlling said devices, and means for independently varying the range of the angular movement of the several nozzles,

15. A lire-protection standpipe system installed in a building and having a plurality of branches at different ioors` angularly movable nozzles carried by said branches, fluidactuated devices associated with the several nozzles for elevating and depressing the nozzles, fluid connections extending to a remote control station and there provided with means for separately controlling lsaid devices, and means for independently varying the position of the range of angular movement of the several nozzles.

16. A fire-protection standpipe system in stalled in a building and having a plurality of branches at different floors, angularly movable nozzles carried bv said branches, fluidactuated devices associated with the several nozzles and adapted to move the same, and fluid control means for separately controlling said devices from a remote control station.

17. A fire-protection standpipe system installed in a building and having a plurality of branches at different floors, angularly movable nozzles carried by said branches, fluidactuated devices associated with the several nozzles to move the same in vertical planes, fluid-actuated valves for opening and closing said branches, and iiuid control means for controlling any of said valves and devices from a central station.

18. In a building, a rotary fire-protection standpipe having a plurality of vertically movable nozzles at different levels, means located at a control station for turning theA standpipe to change the lateraldirection of the streams that can be discharged from the nozzles, a device associated with each nozzle for moving it vertically relatively to the standpipe, a valve between each nozzle and the standpipe, and means for controlling the valves and devices of any one or more of the nozzles from the control station.

19. A rotary standpipe comprising a plurality of pivoted discharge nozzles, a connection adapted to supply fluid under pressure to the standpipe, means for rotating the standpipe to vary the lateral direction of the discharge from the nozzles, iiuid-pressure-actuated means associated with each nozzle for reciprocating it `about its pivot, and means for selectively controlling the admission of iuid to each nozzle `and its means.

20. A rotary standpipe comprising a. plurality of pivoted discharge nozzles, a connection adapted to supply fluid under pressure associated reciprocating to the standpipe, means for `rotating the standpipe to vary the lateraldirectionof the discharge from the nozzles, a fluid-pressureactuated motor associated with each-nozzle for reciprocating it about its pivot,valves for admitting Huid from the standpipe to each nozzle and its motor, fluid-pressure-ajctuated means Yfor opening'each valve, conduits connecting each of said last named means with the interior of the standpipe, and

valves in each of said conduits for controlling the same. i

21. In apparatus of the class described, the e combination with a standpipe to which lluid under pressure is supplied and which has an operating station, of a plurality of pivoted nozzles located at different elevations, a plurality of fluid-pressure-aotuated motors each adapted to reciprocate a nozzle about its pivot, a plurality of fluid-pressure-actuated valves each controlling the admission of'pressure fluid to a nozzle and `its motor,.and a plurality of means each controlled from said operating station for admitting operating fluid to said valves.

22. In apparatus of the class described, a-

standpipe fitting having a discharge branch, a nozzle pivoted to said branch, a fluid-pressure-actuated motor mounted on said fitting` for imparting reciprocatory motion to the nozzle, a fluid-pressure-actuated valve in said branch for controlling fluid flow to the nozzle, a conduit connecting said motor with said branch at a point between the valveand the nozzle, and means for admitting presthe valve and the nozzle, and means for ad- 1 mitting pressure fluid to actuate the valve.

24. A fire-protection standpipe system having a plurality of branches provided with pivoted nozzles at different levels, fluid-actuated motors associated with the several .branches and capable-ofl reciprocating the nozzles, valves controlling admission of fluid to the several branches, and a central control station `having means for operating any of saidvalves independently of Others and for similarly controlling saidy motors.

' *25. A fire-protection standpipe system Y having a plurality of lorancliesy provided with pivoted nozzles at different elevations, means operable' Vat Va central control station for swinging 'the nozzles laterally, fluid-actuated' motors associated with the several 4rloranchesand capable of` reciprocating the nozzlesY in vertical planes, valves controlling the admission of fluid to the several branches, andV means `at the central control station for operating yany of said valves independently `of othersrand for similarly controlling-said motors.

WILLIAM F. CONRAN.

so Y 

